Statistics speak of roughly 500,000 blind and visually impaired people in Cameroon. They are mostly found in cities, where they have gone to seek a way of living. Most of the visually handicapped are illiterate, and their main activity is begging. Many feel discouraged by their dependency on seeing people, the ignorance among the population about life for the blind and their subsequent marginalization by society. Blind children are often abandoned and left to their fate by their families. Those who become blind at a later stage in life are coping with frustrations of having to quit work or studies.

The 300 members of CJARC are organized in five branches in the Central, West and Coastal provinces. Their main goal is to assist Cameroonian blind children, youth and adults in the development of intellectual, technical, professional, and communication skills and to integrate them into the socio-economic circuit. CJARC organizes its activities through different specialized departments:

Education and Training of the blind

• Facilitating education for the young blind at elementary, secondary and university levels: CJARC's integrated school >>>
• Facilitating professional training at the Buea Blind Rehabilitation Center
• Language training (French, English)
• Braille Literacy Programs
• Braille and audio library with books and cassettes
• Braille and computer science for blind and for seeing people
• Braille and ordinary typewriting (Braille and ordinary systems)

Economic Development

• Training in handicrafts
• Training in raising livestock and poultry
• Training in organization and management of community projects
• Promotion and support of income generating activities: production and sale of crafts, participation in exhibitions
• Loans and savings programs
• Creating employment opportunities for the young trained blind
• Development of blind women in Cameroon
• Study on the status of blind women
• Promotion of the association of young blind women

Programs for mutual support

• Temporary assistance of members facing hardships
• Development of the spirit of solidarity among the blind and between the blind and their family
• Annual meetings, regular contact and follow-up with family of blind

Social activities

• Organization of music and sports activities
• Participation in conferences, displays, and national manifestation days

Public awareness building

• Visits to villages to reach the blind and recruit new members
• Campaigns in churches, other gatherings and through the media
• Publications

Periodicals

• Newsletter “Bartimé” in Braille and regular print